Understanding the underestimation of self-report weight: The roles of narcissism and accountability.

Self-reported height and weight is widely used to calculate Body Mass Index (BMI) and yet little is known about factors that affect accuracy. This study investigated the motivational characteristics-narcissism and social desirability-that influence the accuracy of self-reported weight and how they interact with accountability (telling participants that their weight will be verified). A two-way between-subjects design was used (accountable vs not accountable) with motivational moderators (narcissism and social desirability).

Measuring the Pupillary Light Reflex Using Portable Instruments in Applied Settings.

The early components of the pupillary light reflex (PLR) are governed by the parasympathetic nervous system. The use of cheap, portable pupillometry devices may allow for the testing of parasympathetic-system health in field settings. We examined the reliability of two portable instruments for measuring the PLR and their sensitivity to individual differences known to modulate the PLR.

Self-identified strategies to manage intake of tempting foods: cross-sectional and prospective associations with BMI and snack intake.

Objectives: Individuals often use self-directed strategies to manage intake of tempting foods, but what these strategies are and whether they are effective is not well understood. This study assessed the frequency of use and subjective effectiveness of self-directed strategies in relation to BMI and snack intake.

Design: A cross-sectional and prospective study with three time points (T1: baseline, T2: 3 months and T3: 3 years).

Associations between dietary variety, portion size and body weight: prospective evidence from UK Biobank participants.

'Dietary variety' has been identified as a factor associated with food intake. Whilst this relationship may have longer-term benefits for body weight management when eating low-energy, nutrient-dense foods, it may increase the risk of overconsumption (and body adiposity) when foods are high energy density. This study sought to further explore pathways underpinning the relationship between dietary variety and body weight, by considering energy density as a moderating factor and portion size as a mediating factor in this relationship.

Insular cortex activity during food-specific inhibitory control is associated with academic achievement in children.

Background/objectives: Inhibitory control (IC) is usually poorer in children with overweight and obesity and has been associated with unhealthy eating behaviors and lower academic achievement. Food-specific IC tasks depicting salient unhealthy foods may be more sensitive to predicting fat accumulation and unhealthy behaviors than traditional IC tasks. However, the neural activation patterns in response to food-specific IC remain unclear, especially in developing children`s brains.

Identifying weight management clusters and examining differences in eating behaviour and psychological traits: An exploratory study.

Previous research has suggested differences in psychological traits and eating behaviours between groups of individuals with varying weight management profiles, for example, differences between individuals who have maintained weight loss compared to those who have not. However, no study has looked at differences in traits across a sample with a broad range of characteristics including variations in bodyweight and its management. Across two studies, we identified and validated weight management profiles using a clustering approach and examined trait differences across groups.

Testing an online measure of portion size selection: a pilot study concerned with the measurement of ideal portion size.

Background: Portion size is known to be a key driver of food intake. As consumed portions are often pre-planned, 'ideal portion size'-an individual's preferred meal size selected prior to eating-has been identified as a strong predictor of actual consumption. However, assessments of ideal portion size have predominantly relied on laboratory-based computer tasks, limiting use online.

Manipulating the sensation of feeling fat: The role of alexithymia, interoceptive sensibility and perfectionism.

Objective: Feeling fat reflects difficulties in processing emotions and is an important aspect of body image and eating disorders. The current study aimed to develop a novel social comparison manipulation to induce feeling fat and to explore personality traits that may increase an individual's vulnerability.

Methods: At time 1, 254 healthy females (24.

Effect of food variety on intake of a meal: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Many studies have shown that food variety-the presence of multiple foods and/or sensory characteristics within and across meals-increases intake. However, studies report mixed findings, and effect size remains unclear.

Objectives: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to 1) synthesize data across experimental studies that examined effects of variety on total meal intake, relative to a control condition with comparatively less variety; 2) quantify support for this effect; and 3) assist in the identification of important moderating factors (registration: CRD42019153585).

Systolic blood pressure mediates the association between body mass index and inhibitory control in children.

Here, we examine whether systolic blood pressure (SBP) mediates the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and inhibitory control in children. Twenty children with high blood pressure (HBP) were approximately matched with twenty children with low blood pressure (LBP) by fitness, BMI, somatic maturation, sex and age. Inhibitory control was measured by a cognitive Go/Nogo task, where number of commission errors during Nogo trials and reaction time during Go trials were used as performance.

Susceptibility to increased high energy dense sweet and savoury food intake in response to the COVID-19 lockdown: The role of craving control and acceptance coping strategies.

Emerging evidence indicates that for some people, the COVID-19 lockdowns are a time of high risk for increased food intake. A clearer understanding of which individuals are most at risk of over-eating during the lockdown period is needed to inform interventions that promote healthy diets and prevent weight gain during lockdowns. An online survey collected during the COVID-19 lockdown (total n = 875; analysed n = 588; 33.

Consumer perception of food variety in the UK: an exploratory mixed-methods analysis.

Background: 'Food variety' is a key term that is frequently used in dietary guidelines around the world. Consuming a variety of foods - be it within a meal, across meals, or as part of the whole diet - is one factor that has been shown to increase food intake. However, little is known about consumer understanding of variety, and this may be a potential barrier to the success of dietary guidelines in today's 'obesogenic' environment.

Construal beliefs moderate the usability and effectiveness of a novel healthy eating mobile app.

Reduced self-control is a strong predictor of overeating and obesity. Priming a high construal level mind-set has been shown to enhance self-control and reduce snack consumption in the lab but the long-term and real-world effects are not known. The use of digital technology is an efficient way to deliver priming cues in real-world settings.

Impulsivity influences food intake in women with generalized anxiety disorder.

Objective: Eating behavior is affected by psychological and neurocognitive factors. However, little is known about this relationship in anxious patients. Our aim was to investigate the associations between impulsivity, inhibitory control, energy-dense food consumption, and body mass index (BMI) in women with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

Fat mass predicts food-specific inhibitory control in children.

Background/objectives: Impaired inhibitory control has been associated with obesity, high blood pressure and lack of physical fitness. These impairments are thought to be related to decreased cognitive control over excessive food consumption and may start in childhood. However, previous studies in children have examined inhibitory control deficits using general (non-food-specific) tasks and relied on body mass index, which does not distinguish the amount of fat mass.

Understanding everyday strategies used to manage indulgent food consumption: A mixed-methods design.

To maintain a healthy body weight or support weight loss efforts, dietary self-management must allow for the limitation of tempting high energy-dense foods. We were interested in people's implementation of day-to-day strategies in order to successfully manage their indulgent food and beverage consumption. Participants from the Swansea area, UK (N = 25; M = 37; 68% male) were divided into four focus groups.

A serial mediation model of the relationship between alexithymia and BMI: The role of negative affect, negative urgency and emotional eating.

Difficulty identifying and describing emotions (alexithymia) has been related to impulsiveness and negative affect, emotional eating and obesity. However, previous research findings concerning the relationship between alexithymia and obesity have been mixed and inconsistent, raising the possibility that the relationship is indirect and mediated by multiple unknown factors. The aim of the study was to comprehensively explore the potential pathways between alexithymia and obesity via a novel theoretical model, and for the first time, incorporate negative affect, impulsiveness (negative urgency) and emotional eating as potential mediating factors.

Self-control mediates the relationship between time perspective and BMI.

Trait future time perspective measures the extent to which behaviour is dominated by a striving for future goals and rewards. Trait present time perspective measures orientation towards immediate pleasure. Previous research has explored the relationship between future and present time perspective and BMI with mixed findings.

Snack intake is reduced using an implicit, high-level construal cue.

Objectives: Priming a high level construal has been shown to enhance self-control and reduce preference for indulgent food. Subtle visual cues have been shown to enhance the effects of a priming procedure. The current study therefore examined the combined impact of construal level and a visual cue reminder on the consumption of energy-dense snacks.

A dual-process approach to exploring the role of delay discounting in obesity.

Delay discounting of financial rewards has been related to overeating and obesity. Neuropsychological evidence supports a dual-system account of both discounting and overeating behaviour where the degree of impulsive decision making is determined by the relative strength of reward desire and executive control. A dual-parameter model of discounting behaviour is consistent with this theory.

Self-reported eating traits: Underlying components of food responsivity and dietary restriction are positively related to BMI.

Self-report measures of dietary restraint, disinhibited eating, hedonic response to food and loss of control over eating have been related to over eating, overweight and obesity. Impulsivity has emerged as a potential moderator in this relationship. However, the exact relationship between these measures and obesity is poorly defined.